Tag Archives: governor race

I’m in Nebraska.

Why do I care what happens in the Oklahoma primary election on July 27?

While I do have a number of friends and contacts there, that is not what drives my concern. I have come to believe that Oklahoma is at the tip of a spear that for so many reasons, is pointing in the right direction. Oklahoma has a very strong, organic movement comprised of resolute people committed to the Constitution. It is considered by many the home of State Sovereignty and it requires less digging to find some strong legislators at their Capitol than in my own and other states.

Senator Randy Brogdon

State Representative Charles Key and State Senator Randy Brogdon, are at the top of that list; they have taken on issues like State Sovereignty and REAL ID, just to name two.

Representative Charles Key

Oklahoma has a number of excellent Constitutional, liberty-minded candidates challenging incumbents. More, it seems than in many other states, and more that are rock-solid on core principles.

Further, as noted in a piece I wrote at the end of May, the mindset of registered Republican voters in Oklahoma, at least in the one place where I walked blocks, was palpably different from what I’d experienced in Nebraska. Few NE voters asked questions when presented with literature, and then only about party affiliation. If the candidate was Republican, with few exceptions, that was good enough for them. Oklahomans consistently asked questions, voiced dissatisfaction with the GOP, and were clearly intending upon investigating challengers in a race.

Having said all that, life at the tip of the spear is a tenuous business. My understanding of infantry is they take the brunt of the battle. Rep. Key and Sen. Brogdon have had successes, but they’ve also had disappointments. Challenging candidates and their supporters have been shut out from equal access by the GOP establishment. Supporters of State Sovereignty, individual liberty, and limited government have been called radicals, liars, and even insane. Entrenched power doesn’t go down easily. It gets really ugly, as a matter of fact, the more threatened it feels.

The people at the tip of the spear can’t hold their ground forever. Others need to join them. Infantry troops need backup. I’m in a state where the incumbents were re-elected across the board, with the most successful challenger garnering 37% of the vote. I want to see the movement back to core Constitutional principles, toward limited government, and a restoration of our Republic continue. Oklahoma is key in that fight. And when you see a success in the legislature or a candidate, it’s not really the one man you see leading the charge; he has a battalion of supporters working hard behind the scenes. They deserve and need reinforcement and support.

What will happen in Oklahoma next Tuesday? Will the discontent with entrenched power translate into the ousting of some incumbents? Perhaps. If some of the challengers had just a fraction of the support thrown at Scott Brown in Massachusetts, sending establishment, bail-out voting, Progressive Republicans packing would be much more certain.

It is no too late to provide support to some of these candidates. I’ve met each of these candidates personally, and worked with three of them on a regular basis.

Over the next couple of days, I will be writing about each one in more detail. In the meantime, I will list them here. Consider giving at least one of them your support.

Congressional Candidates:

RJ Harris is running in OK’s 4th District. RJ is one of the most impressive individuals I have come to know; his thorough knowledge of the Constitution and ability to articulate core principles clearly and succinctly is unmatched in my experience. His personal character, commitment to his family, and to the country are evident in his balancing of work and family life, and through his long military service. RJ’s race next Tuesday is of key importance; there is no Democrat on the ballot.

The winner of the GOP primary will determine with finality one Congressional seat.

In OK CD02, Howard Houchen has displayed ceaseless energy in traveling his very large district to hear from voters and talk about the proper the role of government. I have personally found Howard to be not only hard working, but well read, a thorough researcher, and impressive in his reasoning. These qualities were quickly displayed while working with Howard directly on legislation development supportive of state sovereignty. Added to his many other qualities, Howard is one of the most affable, courteous personalities in politics today.

1st District Candidate Nathan Dahm is wise beyond his years, some having called him “an old soul”. His on the spot recall of historical context makes clear the depth of his knowledge. He is a man who lives his faith proven by his missionary service and ongoing charitable work. To be sure, he became a favorite with me before I met him – he is a homeschool graduate. But what impressed me most was his character and humility.

State Senator Randy Brogdon has already been mentioned here. Senator Brogdon sponsored the Sovereignty Resolution in the OK Senate, worked to increase transparency in taxation, and fought against the implementation of the privacy invasion that is Real ID.

People outside of Texas might wonder they should watch a Texas Gubernatorial Republican Primary Debate.

I highly recommend it because I think this race is illustrative of a number of phenomenon that are at work right now on the “right” side of the aisle. And boy do I use THAT term loosely. Please understand that loose term includes those committed to restoring the Republic as originally intended by the Founders (and mean it, understand it), people who call themselves “conservative”, Republicans, RINOs, etc., etc.

In other words, everyone who says they are on the side of limited government and individual liberty whether they mean it or not.

This Texas GOP Gubernatorial Primary has a nice little collection of examples for us all, as it includes current Texas Governor Rick Perry, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, and activist Debra Medina.

Who the Republicans of Texas ultimately choose as their candidate will tell the rest of us around the country just how serious Texas Republicans are about the Constitution, liberty, and if the Texas reputation of “Don’t Mess With Texas” and “Come and Get It” really have meaning, or not.

I watched much of the first debate. I knew I was no fan (that’s putting it mildly) of either Perry or Hutchinson, but didn’t have any real first-hand exposure to Medina.

What I saw was two RINOs pointing fingers at one another, playing politics, dodging tough questions, and talking about…how government can solve things. And I also saw someone who knows the Constitution, keeps her eye on the ball, isn’t afraid to answer a question, and rightfully views her fellow debate participants as a couple of politicians who are good at twisting words.

What WILL the people of Texas decide? Will they recognize their governor is a guy who is about as slick as a used car salesman who has figured out to ride whales like the Tenth Amendment issue while on the other hand is the same guy who tried to force Gardasil vaccine on teenage girls. Will the people of tax look any deeper into Governor Perry?

Will the people of Texas recognize Kay Bailey Hutchinson as an establishment politician who likes to straddle such issues as life? Hutchinson was actually laughed at repeatedly at the last debate as she tap danced better than Sammy Davis, Jr. through a series of pin-point questions on whether or not she supported a repeal of Roe v. Wade.f

Will the people of Texas recognition a candidate who is committed to adhere to the Constitution?